Moment of Truth
by Serene Ice Dragon
Summary: The decisive battle was finally upon them. Tenma and Alone had been long waiting for this moment. Their actions would affect the very course of the world... Wait, what did they say? Spoilers for Lost Canvas ending. One-shot.


_**Author's Note: **This is the result of reading the end of The Lost Canvas. Until reaching this point, I'd always thought of Tenma and Alone as best friends, maybe like brothers. Then I read the end of the manga. So, I decided to write my own version of that ending to sum up my feelings about it. Thanks to Naotoki Yamanouchi who helped inspire this, and who also had the same reaction as I did reading it._

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><p>Sasha watched as her brother and childhood friend faced off. It was a battle she wished didn't have to happen, yet one she knew would come, the battle they had been fighting to get to. Neither of them would back down, this she knew. It was likely they would all die here. All three of them were aware of this, and yet, Alone's cosmos felt so...calm, so peaceful. There was no hate between them, no fear of dying. It wasn't too different from when the three of them would play together as children.<p>

It didn't surprise her too much, this warm feeling in Alone's cosmos. He was always a caring, loving person. They had all accepted their fate. Childhood friends had to battle to the death, but neither of them would have had it any other way. Tenma wouldn't allow anybody else to fight Alone, and Alone had been waiting for the moment they would face off.

Their cosmos were rising- they were ready to fight. Neither held back. Neither hesitated.

Even as he continued to raise his cosmos, there was no malice in Alone's expression. "We must connect on a soul level, Tenma!"

Tenma smiled, that same determined look in his eyes that was always present. "Yeah! That's exactly what I came here for!"

"Together with you, something beyond best friends or archenemies!"

The two rushed at each other, ready to unleash their attacks at full power. Sasha, Dohko and Shion could only watch as the two prepared to finish this battle once and for all.

And then, mere inches apart, they abruptly stopped.

"Tenma! I have waited for this moment!"

"Me too, Alone! This is what I've been fighting for!"

In one fluid motion, Tenma lifted Alone into his arms, carrying him bridal-style.

Dohko, Shion and Sasha all stared, thinking the same thing, though it was Dohko who voiced it. "Wait...what?"

"I have always selfishly yearned for you, Tenma!" Alone announced, drawing himself closer to the Pegasus Saint. "Even before I met you, I was attracted to you. You are the boy I have loved more than anyone else!"

"I understand, Alone, because I feel the same way!"

Sasha always knew her brother and Tenma were close, but this? This was getting ridiculous.

"Let us leave this place, Tenma, and get married!"

"But, what about Hades?"

"Oh, I can hold him off long enough for us to be wed. You might have to fight him off after that, but don't worry, we'll figure that out later. At least we'll be together!"

Tenma nodded and gave a shrill whistle. A horse came galloping up, from not-even-Athena-knows-where. The smaller boy hoisted Alone up onto the horse before getting on himself. The boy who would be Hades wrapped his arms around the Pegasus Saint's waist. The horse reared up, and, in another instant, was galloping away with the apparently newly engaged and soon to be wed couple, leaving Athena and the last two of her Gold Saints behind.

"What just happened?" Dohko asked, staring at the vanishing figures.

Shion rolled his eyes. "Oh, please, don't act so surprised. He is _your_ student after all."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Don't act like you don't know. I know all about your little lovers' suicide attempt with Kagaho."

"What? Wait, no, that was- I wasn't-"

Sasha stared. Alone and Tenma always having selfishly yearned for each other? Dohko attempting lovers' suicide with Kagaho? What in the name of Athena was going on with her Saints? Well, it could be worse, she supposed. Instead of all these sudden, random love interests, they could be fighting each other, unaware of the conspiracy going on with the Sanctuary. They could all be confusing an act of loyalty to Athena as treason and thus condemning the Gold Saint responsible. One of her Gold Saints could be certifiably insane, with faces of all those he killed hanging on his walls- women and children included.

Okay, so that was a bit silly. That wouldn't happen in the Sanctuary. Still, it could be worse. So, Athena shrugged, summoned a horse of her own, and followed Alone and Tenma. It may have been sudden, but at least she would get to see her brother and Tenma be wed and be together happily.


End file.
